Two Steps Behind
by kiba kai
Summary: Heero wants to watch Duo from afar but there's some incident made him changes his mind


Two Steps Behind by Kai

Disclaimer : I don't own them, no... thanks Sunrise, and for the song 'Two Steps Behind' from Def Lapperd, I think it's the OST but I can't figure out which one (very oldddd, Local Hero? or Last Action Hero? ne?) don't sue me coz I have nothing you want, just my oldie computer and my sick brain..   
Pairing : 1+2   
Warning : Yaoi, songfic, Angst   
Explanation : lyrics is in //--//, thinking in '--', conversation in "--", flashback ##--## 

===============================================================   
-Two Steps Behind-   
By Kai   
===============================================================   


- A guest bedroom in Quatre's mansion - 

1 A.M. read the glowing digital clock on the nightstand. The dark figure shook his head restlessly and sighed. Someone would have heard Heero Yuy if they had been in the room with him. 

'I want to sleep... Damn it! I need to sleep' 

He tried to keep his mind blank, as he pressed his head into the pillow. Minutes passed... but still sleep evaded him as he curled his body into a ball around the blanket. He sat up in the messy bed, and clumsily walked to the bathroom. In the darkness he stumbled on something on the floor. It was his jacket that Duo borrowed from him last night when Duo had gone dancing. 

'That baka! Why doesn't somebody tell him not to mess with others peoples belongings!' 

Heero threw it to the corner of the room where the basket for used clothes was. He turned on the light in the bathroom, and looked at his face in the mirror and cursed himself. 

"Damn it, why can't I just sleep?" 

He walked to the sink and splashed cool water over his face, and stood there for a moment. He sighed and retreated back to the bedroom. He knew deep down what exactly was disturbing him, and he would never get any sleep if he didn't make sure Duo was alright... 

So he made up his mind to get dressed and go look for him. When he reached downstairs he found Rashid, who still hadn't gone to bed yet. 

"Mr. Yuy, are you planning on going somewhere?" Rashid asked because Heero wasn't wearing his usual green tank top and spandex. Instead he wore a pair of jeans, and a loose unbuttoned blue shirt. 

"Somewhere around here, and you can just call me 'Heero'". 

Rashid nodded, and asked if Heero needed a driver. Heero gently refuse while buttoned his shirt. He said he could go by himself, and would be back before dawn. When he reached his black Harley and ignited it, he still wasn't sure what he should do if he met Duo at his usual club. He shouldn't go there without reason, but he couldn't bring himself to tell him. His reason would break their relationship into pieces... 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Duo was having a good time at the club with Hilde. Sometime after the end of the War he and Hilde had became lovers, they tried to end each other's loneliness and retrieve the life they once had again. Hilde felt though that Duo had lost something during the war, maybe his true self. 

## Duo's flashback## 

-Gundam hunger in Chieng Mai at THA point- 

"Heero I have a bad feeling about this mission, I really don't think you should go alone" Duo paused to watch Heero's statement. Then continued "I'll go with you" 

"That's not necessary, you should stay here just encase more information comes in from the professors" Heero replied with his usual steady voice, looking away from Duo. 

"Look Heero, I know you can accomplish any damn task they give you, but you shouldn't do this alone!" 

"The less numbers there are, the greater the chance of not being spotted" 

"Damn you Heero, you can not complete a mission if you're a dead man, UNDERSTAND!" Duo was overwhelmed by his anger, he knew Heero didn't like him talking about the possibility of failure before a mission, but this was important to him. 

"But if you stay here, you will be alive. You'll be able to finish it for me, won't you?" Heero raised his head to look at the braided pilot. His cobalt blue eyes looked right through him. Duo wasn't sure what he saw behind those eyes. Anger? tenderness? sorrow? or... he couldn't tell, but one thing he was sure of, he would never forget that look. 

//Walk away, if you want to   
It's okay, if you need to   
Well, you can run but you can never hide   
from the shadow that creeping up beside you// 

##End flashback## 

"Duo, what are you thinking about?" Hilde lifted her head from his shoulder, when she noticed that Duo had stopped paying attention to her. 

"Nothing. Why do you always ask that question" Duo frowned and shoved her aside "I really hate it" he said simply. Hilde had annoyed him for disturbing his deep reverie of his partner. 

"Why did you say that?" she paused, and then continued flippantly "I was just asking". Unknown to Duo and Hilde, their argument was attracting a considerable amount of attention. Until one man yelled at them to shut up, Duo didn't care what other people thought. He really didn't know what had gotten into him tonight, so he shouted back at the man. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Heero parked his Harley and went to go inside the club, but as soon as he reached the door and opened it, he was confronted with a loud noise of people screaming and cheering. It seemed to Heero that all the customer's in the club had gathered around the central stage. There appeared to be a fight going on between one man who was approximately 6 foot 5, bald and covered with muscles called Kurt, and a skinny braided boy... 

'Skinny braided boy! What the hell has he gotten himself into?' Heero thought. Heero listened to the deadly encouragement from the crowd, and noticed that Duo was drunk. Luckily though not enough that he couldn't handle this guy, he was after all a well-trained Gundam pilot. 

Kurt tried to punch Duo in the face, but Duo was very good at evading. He used his smaller and more agile body to his advantage. After a few minutes of chasing, one of Kurt's friends who stood at the ringside caught Duo wrists and held him still. Kurt rushed to Duo aiming his fist at him, but just as Duo was knocked out Heero struck a bottle of whiskey over Kurt's head. He fell to the floor, and silence made it's way through the room as Heero gave everyone his usual death glare. 

//There's a magic running through your soul but you can't have it all// 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Heero carried Duo back to Quatre's mansion. Duo remained unconscious all the way due to his inebriated state, and Heero was thankful that he did, as Duo might be more of a problem to him. 

4 A.M.: Heero laid Duo on his bed, because Duo's room was locked and he failed to find the key. He took of Duo's boots and pulled his shirt loose, adjust other things for his comfort. When he finished he stepped back to admire the little body in his bed, and he realized that he forgot to unbraid his hair. Reaching out his hand he suddenly found his wrist caught by   
the sleeping Duo. He had almost fallen on top of Duo, but he fast enough to use the other hand to keep his balance. Now his face was inches apart from Duo, and their lips are even closer. Heero kept still, watching the pale beauty in the moonlight. 

Why was his heart beating so fast? What reason could there be? But he knew why, and he knew who did it. He let out a small sigh, and smiled when the wind from his sigh made Duo purr. Heero shifted aside, and freed his wrist from the captor, moving to sit in the faraway chair. 

//Whatever you do, I'll be two steps behind   
Wherever you go, and I'll be there to remind you   
There is only takes a minutes of your precious time,   
to turn around, I'll be two steps behind// 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

7 A.M., 3 hours passed, but the perfect soldier still sat at the same position, watching how the rays from the rising sun reflected upon Duo's face. 'Soon he's going to wake up' so Heero went down to the kitchen, and met Quatre and Trowa having their breakfast. 

"Good morning, Heero" Quatre said to him, and trowa nodded in participation. 

"Morning, where can I find the painkillers?" He asked. 

"In the cabinet. Wait a sec, I'll get it for you" and Quatre left the table to go look for them. 

"I guess you're not the one who needs the painkillers" Trowa remarked, but Heero just kept silent and waited for the Arabian pilot, "Breakfast?" Trowa offered, Heero responded by shaking his head. When Quatre got back and handed him the bottle of painkillers, Heero left without saying a word. 

"He's gonna be okay, don't worry" said Trowa when he saw the worry in Quatre's eyes. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Heero opened the door to his room and found Duo was still asleep. He placed the bottle and glass of water on the nightstand. He walked to the bathroom, and filled the bathtub with the warm water. Testing it over and over again to make sure that it wasn't too hot. He washed his face and looked at his reflection in the mirror above the sink, trying to curve his lips into a smile, but it turned out bitterly. He shrugged and dried his face before entering the bedroom once again, taking one last glance at Duo, he didn't realized that he smiled before he left. 

//Takes your time, to think about it   
Just walk a line, you know that you can fight it   
Take a look around, you'll see what you can find   
like a fire that burning up inside you// 

It was 7.30 A.M. when Duo woke up. His head felt like a hammer was being pounded against it. He shifted his head and found the painkillers and water on the nightstand. He took them and tried to sit up. Looking around, he realized that he was in Heero's room. 

'Heero? Why am I here?' he thought, and he could still smell the alcohol from his breath. Deciding not to sleep in Heero's bed any longer he thought, 'When did I take over his room? Did I wake him last night? But how did I get here?' he walked to the bathroom and found a already filled tub, Heero wasn't here anyway? 

After he finished his bath he went downstairs, Wufei was cooking his breakfast in the kitchen. 

"G'morning Wufei, where is everyone?" Duo asked in a sleepy voice. 

"Mission! you baka, actually you were assigned to this but Yuy said he'll go instead. Winner and Barton are on the sub team, this is very serious!" Wufei said, but he still kept chopping the ingredients. 

"Heero didn't mention anything to me?" asked Duo. 

"No, but Winner said Yuy didn't get enough sleep over the past few days, and his body wasn't ready for this. He's kinda worried" 

"What! So why did you all let him go? Why didn't you go instead?" 

"Don't take that tone with me, Maxwell", now Wufei pointed his knife angrily at Duo's throat, "Remember that last mission that I went on with you? Because of your reckless action, Nataku was shot and heavily damaged. Now it's still in the hanger, and I'm FIXING IT!" Wufei stepped back a little to calm himself down, lowering the knife "And for this mission, do you really think that the enemy would wait until you wake and sober up!" 

Duo thoroughly felt guilty, he knew that over the past months he didn't perform well in both missions and relationships involving his comrades. If Heero didn't come back safe, it would be his fault, just like that time at THA point. Heero wouldn't let him go because it was too dangerous, he said Duo were completely useless. Duo knew though that Heero just said that to keep him out of trouble, Heero always protected him... 

'God, Heero...be safe...' 

//There's a magic running through your soul but you can't have it all// 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

The days and nights passed, and Duo could only sit in front of the communicator waiting for someone to contact him. Unfortunately this mission had taken them to Siberia, and it was known that this time of the year brought 'The White Hurricane' (*). It wouldn't surprise him if they didn't send any contact back. 

"Maxwell it has been almost 3 days, you should get some sleep." Wufei said while passing a hot mug of milk to him. 

"I don't think I can Wufei" Duo moved to sit on the white oak floor, and rested his head against the sofa, "Jeez. What's wrong with this damn radio!!" 

Wufei had watched Duo's temper rise and fall over the past 3 days, and he knew that it was useless to say 'It's gonna be alright' because it wasn't alright. 

Beep Beep, 'that has to be a signal contact from them', Duo thought. He grabbed the headset in no time, and asked. 

"Everything alright?" 

"..Zzz..ZZ.Z..Du...Zzz..I'm...ZZ..Trowa..safe..ZZzzz..Heero..missing..Zzz?" and the communication went dead. Duo's heart felt like it was breaking. 'Heero was missing'. He tried to re-establish contact, but it didn't work. His hands starting trembling, and he brought them to his face. Sobbing violently into them before his world turned black, falling into Wufei's arms. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

2 days later, Duo awoke in Heero's bed. A smile of delight washed over his face as he thought that Heero must have carried him here. He heard the door being knocked. 

"You're awake at last!" said Wufei peaking his head round the door, and then retreating again to go find the others. A few moments later, Quatre and Trowa followed by Wufei came in. 

"Oh Duo I'm so relieved. You've been asleep for over 2 days" Quatre said while watching Trowa help Duo to sit up. 

"What about Heero?" his head couldn't think straight anymore. 

"Uh, umm, we're trying to find him!" replied Quatre. 

"What do you mean, he still hasn't come back?" Quatre broke eye contact with Duo, as he wasn't sure how Duo felt about this. 

"Heero was having problems piloting Wing. He must have pushed himself over the limit, because I saw that he got shot when he could have avoided it. He wasn't as fast as he should have be!" said Trowa calmly. 

"That might be my fault. I think I disturbed him the night before the mission" he hung his head guiltily. 

"It's not your fault Maxwell, Yuy didn't sleep well for days before the mission. I used to see him taking sleeping pills, and the night before the mission Rashid said Yuy went out. He might have found you along the way back, I guess?" 

"But why did he go out?" Quatre asked Wufei. 

"Don't know, he didn't tell Rashid that" 

"Anyway are you feeling better? wanna get up?" Trowa asked, because Duo's statement still looked bad. 

"Nay, I need a little more sleep please." and Duo shifted to his side, the three of them looked at each other and left. 

'Heero? Heero where are you, I ... I miss you... Heero... I love you...' 

//Whatever you do, I'll be two steps behind   
Wherever you go, and I'll be there to remind you   
There is only takes a minutes of your precious time,   
to turn around, I'll be two steps behind// 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

A few hours later? 

Duo was having a nightmare. He dreamt of his orphanage at Maxwell church. Dreaming about the day that everyone was burnt alive inside the holy chapel, and he was the only one who escaped. He watched as they were screaming, and crying for help. He had let them die, he let everyone he loved die, and Heero, Heero... 

"Heero? Heero..." he was talking in his sleep. His head and hands were tossing mindlessly. A pair of strong hands reached out and held him tightly. One of those hands started to soothe his hair lightly as he inhaled the scent of his hair, and whispered softly. 

"You're safe now Duo, I always protect you" 

//Whatever you do, I'll be two steps behind   
Wherever you go, and I'll be there to remind you   
There is only takes a minutes of your precious time,   
to turn around, I'll be two steps behind// 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Next morning, Duo woke to find himself still in Heero's room. He held Heero's pillow tight as he felt the tears well up inside him. He shook his head, trying to repress the tears back. 

'I shouldn't let them worry about me too much' and he got up and headed to bathroom. Opening the door lazily, he found that the tub was already filled. Hesitatingly he lowered himself in the warm bath, hearing the bedroom door was knocked and opened. 

'Must be Wufei' he thought "Hey! What's for breakfast Wu?" but no reply came. When he finished his bath, he went into the bedroom. Wrapping a damp bathrobe loosely around himself, he looked around the room, and found? 

'Heero' 

He was holding a big bunch of white roses and smiling at him 'Heero's smiling'... Duo was speechless, and he just stood there, not knowing whether this was reality or just another fantasy. 

"Quatre said you liked white roses, so I just went out and brought you some. I hope you like them?" Heero asked, but the braided boy didn't answer him. Duo ran to Heero, brushing away the roses. He kissed Heero fiercely, drawing his body close to his, leaving no space left untouched. Until they both parted feeling breathless? Duo said. 

"Damn it. I'm going to kill Quatre for this. Fuck the roses, I didn't need them, only you Heero? just you. I don't need anything else" Duo's hands clutched at Heero's shirt, afraid ofletting go. 

Heero smiled again, and hugged him. 

//I'll be two steps behind...//   
  
  


fin~ 

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Kai: I didn't write 1x2 much, eventhough I like it too, is it ok? ^^' 

feedbacks are most welcome (*^_^*) 

(*)it's nothing, I've invented it myself ^^' 

Edited by: 'Miriya' ::big hugs::   



End file.
